Chord Progression question

[lemontea]

Hello, I have a question about chord progression.
In the following progression, “I–V–vi–IV, C–G–Am–F”, if the key is C Major, how exactly does Am fit within the key/scale? Isn’t it off key? Being that the scale of C Major is C D E F G A B...

All responses are appreciated, thank you

[lemontea]

Also what exactly does it mean when there are lowercase numbers (the iv in I-V-vi-IV) in a chord progression?

[vurt]

Hello, I have a question about chord progression.
In the following progression, “I–V–vi–IV, C–G–Am–F”, if the key is C Major, how exactly does Am fit within the key/scale? Isn’t it off key? Being that the scale of C Major is C D E F G A B...

All responses are appreciated, thank you

chords are not all msjor.
in c major
only c,f,g are major.
b is diminished
the rest minor.

[vurt]

Also what exactly does it mean when there are lowercase numbers (the iv in I-V-vi-IV) in a chord progression?

lower case denotes minor chords, upper major.

[Musical Gym]

Relationship between major scale and relative minor scale
If you take C major scale and compare it to A minor scale, you will see that they have exactly the same notes. In other words, the major scale has a related minor that is identical to it. Incredible, isn’t it? This is why the name “relative”. Compare below, for example, the scales C x Am and G x Em:
C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B
A minor scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G
G major scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#
E minor scale: E, F#, G, A, B, C
This is extremely useful! It means that we can use A minor scale to do a solo in a song which tonality is C major. In other words, when we have a major tonality, we can think in two scales: the major scale of this tonality and the relative minor scale of it. This increases our options when we are thinking in solo.
http://www.simplifyingtheory.com/relative-minor-major/

[lemontea]

Hello, I have a question about chord progression.
In the following progression, “I–V–vi–IV, C–G–Am–F”, if the key is C Major, how exactly does Am fit within the key/scale? Isn’t it off key? Being that the scale of C Major is C D E F G A B...

All responses are appreciated, thank you

chords are not all msjor.
in c major
only c,f,g are major.
b is diminished
the rest minor.

Thanks for the quick response, obviously I still have a lot to learn regarding music theory!!

[lemontea]

Relationship between major scale and relative minor scale
If you take C major scale and compare it to A minor scale, you will see that they have exactly the same notes. In other words, the major scale has a related minor that is identical to it. Incredible, isn’t it? This is why the name “relative”. Compare below, for example, the scales C x Am and G x Em:
C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B
A minor scale: A, B, C, D, E, F, G
G major scale: G, A, B, C, D, E, F#
E minor scale: E, F#, G, A, B, C
This is extremely useful! It means that we can use A minor scale to do a solo in a song which tonality is C major. In other words, when we have a major tonality, we can think in two scales: the major scale of this tonality and the relative minor scale of it. This increases our options when we are thinking in solo.
http://www.simplifyingtheory.com/relative-minor-major/

So in “I–V–vi–IV, C–G–Am–F“, is the note for ‘Am’ just ‘A’? As in, on a piano, the notes used in the chord would be C G A F?

[vurt]

a minor is the note a c and e.

a the root.
c the third.
e the fifth.

count the notes from your root note for the chord as 1.

so c
is c e g.

g is
g b d.

root 3rd 5th.

[lemontea]

a minor is the note a c and e.

a the root.
c the third.
e the fifth.

count the notes from your root note for the chord as 1.

so c
is c e g.

g is
g b d.

root 3rd 5th.

Thanks

[vurt]

no problem.

im far from an expert though
i always recommend the idiots guide to music theory for beginners.
its a bit more straightforward than some other books. those are great if youre with a teacher.
but starting out alone at home, the basics "idiots guide..." has you covered!

if i can understsnd it anyone can, seriously i struggled for about 20 years to be able to understand the basic intervals and such that make up key sigs ,how to build chords from a scale...

the idiots guide set it out clearly

[fmr]

It means that we can use A minor scale to do a solo in a song which tonality is C major. In other words, when we have a major tonality, we can think in two scales: the major scale of this tonality and the relative minor scale of it.

No it doesn't. And the second statement is plainly wrong. A minor is a neighbor tonality to C Major, as are G Major, and F Major. Any tonality which differs from the tonality we are in just one alteration is considered a neighbor. Technically, A minor has one alteration when compared to C Major (G#) because, although it isn't written in the key signature, it's needed to confirm the tonality. A minor without G# lacks the Dominant function (V), which transforms it in a mode - therefore, A minor natural is seldom used when we are working within the tonal system. Although neighbor, you can't go back and forth from C Major to A minor whenever you want, unless you want to create an atmosphere where there is a tonal instability between Major and minor (which, of course, may be interesting).

To play a solo, you can use whatever notes you want, even chromatic notes, as long as you keep the polar notes in the accented beats. You can even avoid that every now and then, if you want to create additional tension.

The vi degree chord in a chord progression in Major is nothing else than a replacement chord. It may be used to replace the IV chord (with which it shares two notes) ot the I chord (with which it also shares two notes). It's really no big deal, and a commonly used "trick", to spice things a little. The same way, we can use the ii chord to replace the IV chord (with which it also shares two notes) in a sequence from the I to the V. Again, the ii works as replacement of the IV. Actually, we can even use a sequence I - vi - ii - V, where the vi works as kind of "bridge" from the I to the ii.

In the chord sequence the OP wrote, the vi is a replacement chord for the I, IMO

[Forgotten]

The sequence isolated from a complete piece of music is not enough to tell what the intention of the chords is.

It’s possible that this is a point of modulation in the music - if the piece is in C Maj, then the Am is possibly the iii/IV, so the F Maj would fit. This sequence wouldn’t sound like there’s a satisfactory resolution, so there maybe a different sequence following it.

It’s always difficult to analyze a short phrase outside of a complete piece though.

[fmr]

The sequence isolated from a complete piece of music is not enough to tell what the intention of the chords is.

It’s possible that this is a point of modulation in the music - if the piece is in C Maj, then the Am is possibly the iii/IV, so the F Maj would fit. This sequence wouldn’t sound like there’s a satisfactory resolution, so there maybe a different sequence following it.

It’s always difficult to analyze a short phrase outside of a complete piece though.

Indeed you are right

[mbloom]

Musical Gym is completely correct. In the key of C major, Am is the 6 chord (not the 5, so not dominant). There is no G# in it and you can totally jam in Am, when other musicians are playing in C major. It's the relative minor, meaning it has exactly the same notes as C major. No need to make it more confusing. As far as chord substitutions are concerned...that's a whole different topic and too advanced for the OP to be worried about. Even with substitutions, there's no typical situation where an Am chord has a G#.

[Septimon]

It might be better to speak of aeolian mode Rather than „Minor“ Here.